Natural Information Society & Bitchin Bajas Totality

Natural Information Society & Bitchin Bajas' New Collaborative Album Totality on LP.

Totality! It can only be good news. The second convergence of Natural Information Society and Bitchin Bajas, years removed from the first, misses no steps and posits low-key revolutions in gravity for everyone instead. LPs divide inevitably into two halves; here, the first side could be typed ‘space’ and the second side ‘time’. With loads of totally principled playing in the communal feel, both sides blur the edges warmly.

Totality charts impressive new launch angles from Natural Information Society's ecstatic all-world jazz and Bitchin Bajas’ microtonal soundscapes. The two groups have grown ever finer in their articulation since first collaborating in 2015; in the time since, the Natural Information Society have released four albums (one in collaboration with Evan Parker, one with Ari Brown) and Bitchin Bajas five (one a soundtrack, one with Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, one featuring the songs of Sun Ra). Their second album together seems to emanate from eons beyond their first. Recorded in a single day with Greg Norman at Chicago’s Electrical Audio, Totality misses no steps and posits low-key revolutions in gravity for everyone. The septet balance a deeply searching mood throughout each track, with their careful listening and response time continually redefining the space.

These days, Natural Information Society is populated differently. From the sextet that co-created Automaginary, Joshua Abrams, Lisa Alvarado and Mikel Patrick Avery remain, with Jason Stein joining on bass clarinet. Bitchin Bajas flow on in their long-standing trio configuration of Cooper Crain, Dan Quinlivan, and Rob Frye.